KitsuneHime: Lady of Foxes
by Wai-Jing Waraugh
Summary: A Japanese tale of demons and deception, based on traditional folklore and Kabuki plays. Beneath a hill, foxes gather to relate how humans have mistreated them. However, even kami can be tricked; not all is as it seems, and the foxes themselves are in for an unpleasant surprise...
1. Chapter 1: Brush Tip Hill

**Kitsune-Hime: Lady of Foxes**

_Author's Note: I already posted this story on FictionPress, not realizing that there's a Japanese Mythology section on here. Since the site guidelines don't say anything about not being allowed to post a story on both sites, I thought I would put it here as well. If I'm not supposed to do this, I'll take it back down. I gave it a quick re-edit before I posted it, so there are a few slight differences between this version and the one on FictionPress._

_This story is based on an old Japanese folktale that has been the subject of several Noh plays. Whilst not exactly a retelling, this story features well-known characters in Japanese folklore. Any similarities to any other stories based on the same material is completely unintentional. For those interested, I will include some background information on the original tale at the end of the story._

_Please enjoy! ~ W.J._

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Brush-Tip Hill**

Deep within the heart of the Shinoda Forest, more than three _ri_ from the closest rural village, there stood a hill all covered with grasses.

Though not a high hill, its sides were quite steep, and almost the exact shape of the large, domed bells which are rung to mark the hours at the temples. The forest encroached upon all sides of it, yet could not climb it; it rose like an island within the sea of foliage. Only one tree grew upon it, directly at its summit - a tall conifer of significant height, and spectacular appearance. It appeared to have at some point during its long lifespan been struck by lightning, and it was indeed questionable whether it was scarcely alive at all. All its bark was an ashen grey colour, truly black in some places, like a piece of charcoal pulled from a brazier; and it was bare of any branches save at its very pinnacle, where a sparse tuft of stiff green needles wafted somewhat forlornly. Despite its irregularity, it was a rather splendid-looking tree.

Due, perhaps, to its shape and colour, which made it look rather like a calligraphy brush that had been carelessly dropped in an inkwell, it had been given the name _Hake-saki-oka_: 'Brush-Tip Hill'. The humans who knew of this place revered it, and _shimenara_ paper strips had been hung around the tree's slender trunk to indicate its exalted status. However, no pilgrims came to pay tribute to it, no monks or priests came to seek enlightenment in its shade. It was revered not so much because it was significant to humans, but rather because they feared just what the tree itself signified. This tree marked the boundary between the world of humans, and that of the mysterious beings that they believed haunted the forest. _Hake-saki-oka_ had long been reputed as a gathering place for _yokai_ and _obake_, _ayakashi_ and _mononoke_ – it was rumoured to be a meeting place for demons.

One night late in summer, when the wind, already starting to taste of autumn, whined pensively through the tree-tops, and the tip of the great tree seemed to be painting dark ink-blot clouds upon a full moon in the sky, a great deal of activity took place upon the hill. If a man had stood in the nearby undergrowth and watched, unless he had been blessed with both the night vision of an owl and the quick sight of an eagle, he would've been blind to the sudden smudge of shadow that hurried up the hill, scampering hither on nimble paws. A man with swift senses might have seen a flash of white upon the slope, and assumed he had merely seen a moonbeam alighting upon a blade of grass. He would not suspect that what he had seen, darting up the hill swift as a minnow riding a river current, was actually the white tuft of fur that tipped the tail of a fox.

Many of them came, not arriving all at once, but one or two at a time, as if by prior agreement, so as not to raise the suspicions of any watchers who chanced to be nearby. Such precautions were observed, though they were not strictly necessary, for no mortal man dared linger here after the sun had left the sky. The beasts of the forest gave them privacy, regarding these creatures as their overlords. For they were not mere animals, these foxes, but _kami_ - beings of great spiritual power who were well-versed in the ways of gods and men alike, and could like-as-not outwit both if the occasion called for it. These were the tricksters and shape-shifters, the knowers of magic and ancient wisdom. They were able to wear the form of any creature, man or beast, as easily as one would don a mantle; they were able to speak the tongues of all creatures, able to weave spells that could befuddle the senses of the wisest of men. These were the _kitsune_, creatures with sharp yellow eyes, and steely silver whiskers like the strings of the _shamisen_; swift feet tipped with sharp claws, and needle-like teeth within strong jaws; sleek fur that made them as smooth and slippery as eels as they slid through the hunter's hand; magnificent tails of plush hairs, soft as thistle-down. These were creatures to distrust, creatures to be extremely wary of, and above all - particularly at this time and this place - _creatures to be avoided_.

As they mounted the hill, moving swiftly and ascending with ease over the slippery grass, they darted within the shadow of the great tree and dashed into a hidden opening that lay the between thick grey roots that had been gnarled and twisted by time. At least three-score-ten of them entered this portal, for within was a great space, lofty as the grand halls of a human palace. Its walls and ceiling were one, a great dome the same shape as the hill; for this room was, indeed, inside the hill itself.

As each fox entered this room, he suddenly rose up from all fours to stand on his hind legs, and suddenly he was attired in the costume of the humans, and walked upright as they did. A few _kitsune_ wore the simple tunics and leggings of country farmers; however, most wore the sumptuous robes and voluminous _hakama_ that denoted a person of high rank in the human world, and seemed to serve the same purpose here. As has been said, at least thirty of them appeared through the door in the hill - foxes of all descriptions, ones with sandy brown fur or russet red or creamy white; foxes with long bushy whiskers greyed with age upon their snouts; and those with smooth, youthful jowls, barely older than kits. None of them were required to remove their sandals at the door, as was custom in human establishments, for all were shod in his natural footwear: pads on the soles of feet, which were as soft, yet also as tough, as leather, and bore claws which left four tiny toe-marks where they scratched into the dirt floor.

The great room-within-the-hill was quite bare, its only features to speak of being a great twisting mass of tree roots set in the direct centre of the roof, from which numerous lanterns had been hung; and there was straw, loose strands instead of the tightly-woven mats that the humans made, spread out on the floor, upon which the foxes seated themselves quite comfortably. It was apparent that they arranged themselves in some sort of order of rank, for the most richly-dressed foxy individuals gathered at what was decidedly the 'front' of the round room. A sort of raised platform made of mounded dirt and carpeted with fresh green, pungent-smelling pine needles, seemed to be its focal point. The foxes seated themselves in an orderly fashion before this dais, and they talked civilly amongst themselves, just like men would do if they were gathered together in such a fashion.

But truly, no human eyes could ever have caught glimpse of such a fantastic scene, no heart of man could have viewed it without quaking at the terrible splendor of it all. _Enchanted beasts, behaving as though they were men-!_ It was frightening, to think that creatures of magic and mayhem, like these who had gathered, could act thusly, with such guile and propensity. Surely such a crowd could only congregate to serve some nefarious purpose.

"Your pardon."

Kuichi, a sandy fox with long, drooping whiskers, bowed his head at these words. He moved the low table that stood before him back a little, allowing the venerable fox who had spoken to seat himself in front of him, upon the very farthermost edge of the straw-strewn floor. Kuichi's table was set with an ink-stone, already wet with ink in preparation, and a brush which was made from a single slender joint of bamboo, tipped with what appeared to be his own downy white tail-fur. Such a rustic, yet extraordinary, writing kit had surely never been held by human hands. Kuichi was a scribe, well-versed in the written language used by man, and he had been commissioned to record an account of this meeting beneath the hill.

Though he obligingly made way for the other, he could not help but think his fellow fox to be somehow peculiar, and eyed him discreetly once he had seated himself with his back towards him. He was a rather large fox, tall, and of unusual colouring. Instead of the typical fox-fur colours, this gentleman was an ashen black all over, with only a hint of scarlet; the same colour as a burning ember with fire still glowing at its centre. It was a colour better suited to a red-tinged wolf than a dark-furred fox. Yet this foxy personage wore a rich robe of blue watered silk, trimmed with red stitching and embroidered with gold thread in a chrysanthemum design; his wide white _hakama_ were of the purest linen, and reached well past the level of the ground, dragging behind him and hiding his paws from view. He wore the tall black pointed hat of an imperial official, and from the full sleeves that hid his fore-paws there protruded a fan with a red tassel adorning its handle. For a moment he turned to his left to acknowledge his neighbour, and Kuichi saw that his eye was brown – not the mud-coloured brown of a dull-witted beast, but a brown that was vibrant and sparkled with energy, like a river stone worn smooth and clear, dazzling in the light. Kuichi thought to himself that it was odd that such a _kitsune_ of obvious high rank would seat himself at the back of the room with the commoner foxes, when the nobility of their kind were gathered at the front near the dais. However, he presently dismissed such thoughts from his mind - though he did not voice them, to even so much as think them was impolite, and the matters of a superior were of no concern to one such as himself. He hence turned his attention elsewhere.

After a time, when it seemed the foxes who were present had settled themselves and newcomers had ceased to arrive, the strange gathering of creatures became suddenly silent, as though at the sight of some hidden omen; like the hush of a forest that is holding its breath, just before a storm arrives.

And then, out of nowhere, a fox suddenly appeared upon the dais.


	2. Chapter 2: Kuzunoha hime

**Chapter 2 – Kuzunoha-hime**

She did not leap there from without the door, nor did she arrive through some other entry; one second, naught hung in the air but the expectant hush proceeding her arrival, and the next she was standing there.

Even compared to the splendid appearance of those who were already present, hers was truly a wondrous countenance to behold. Her fur was so pale and white, it was almost tinged blue, like the colour of the first-fallen winter snow. She was dressed in a kimono of many layers, in an exquisite design and unmatchable quality; the outermost layer was a delicate grey the colour of mountain mists, richly embroidered with leaves and tiny purple flowers. Despite these wonders, perhaps the most striking feature about her was her eyes – they were the deep, verdant green of pine needles, their hue piercingly cold against the white of winter snow.

She stood upon the dais and surveyed the room with a cool, commanding gaze; every occupant of the room bowed forward in his seat as a sign of respect.

This was Kuzunoha-hime, the one who had called this meeting together, and the highest-ranking among the _kitsune_. Her impressive entrance, appearing out of nothingness, demonstrated her proficiency at fox-magic. Everything about her, from the smooth ripple of her pure-white fur, to the impressive silken cascades of her kimono, and the intelligent, calculating gleam in her narrow slit-like eyes, gave the impression of majesty; hers was a personality that wielded an innate power.

"Pray raise yourselves, and feel welcome here," she commanded the room in an authorative tone, which despite its firmness, was pleasant to the ear. She moved with an inherent grace to sit upon the pine needles, arranging herself daintily, silken folds billowing about her. Her actions were so cultured, so civil and well-mannered, that it was hard to believe that it was a fox, and not a woman, sitting here; if it weren't for the slender, pointed face, the fine strands of white fur, and the slender four-toed paw with which she grasped the edge of her sleeve, it could have very well been the exquisite body of a human noblewoman beneath the many folds of embroidered silk.

"You are here at my bidding, and unworthy though I am to be so well-met by so many, I am most thankful to have thee here. Since you have been so good as to indulge me with your presence tonight, I shall come straight to the point. All here have suffered at the hands of those most callous of creatures, those known as 'Man'; I would have thee gather here so that we, all of whom have been in some way affected by Man's actions, might discuss the topic at length, and share what we know."

She paused, and a number of slender heads with pointed ears within the crowd nodded in acquiesce. The subject of Man was considered with the utmost consternation among the _kitsune_. Few other creatures could rival the foxes in terms of cleverness and magical ability, yet some select humans could; furthermore, Man managed to enslave other beasts to his will, a feat that was outrageous in its audacity. Such abilities made Man a fearsome creature indeed.

"Araji-dono, might I ask you to address us first?"

A fox with vermillion-red fur and bushy whiskers about his jowls stood in the front row. "You honour me with you consideration," he answered humbly, bowing once to Kuzunoha-hime, then again to the crowd gathered around him. Then he began his tale.

"Myself and my unworthy kinsmen were fortunate enough to enjoy for some time a life of tranquility in the forests of the Aokigara region. These lands had been our sole territory for generations; our clan elders had lived there since they were kits, as had their fathers and forefathers. However, in the autumn two years past, Man came brazenly into our territory and began to topple the great trees which had sheltered our ancestors, felling them as easily as if they were mere saplings. They hacked the trunks and took them away to a vantage point high above the forest, where they began to build a structure which they referred to as a 'castle'. They were in this regard more destructive than a typhoon; the damage they afflicted was extensive, and several _chō_ of land was left bare. The little animals that my clan hunted for sustenance were startled by this disturbance, and many of their numbers fled. This was just before the long winter, and food became even scarcer than previous years. Many of the younger kits starved that year, due to man's intrusion."

Araji seated himself again, and the other foxes murmured quietly amongst themselves, discussing this incident with incensed tones. They quieted themselves again as Kuzunoha-hime called upon the next speaker. A vixen with glossy fur the rich color of a maple leaf rose somewhat hesitantly.

"I walked one day with my litter of seven kits, on our way to a den higher up in the hills, where we would pass the winter months in greater comfort. Out of nowhere, arrows rained down on us; we were obliged to flee for our lives." She paused, inhaled deeply, and continued in a voice which wavered with emotion. "T-three of my children did not live to see another dawn. I and those that kept their lives took refuge in a gully not far from where they had fallen. We saw the Men come to claim their prize. The lives of three out of seven kits they stole from me, and they had no need of their fur; they already wore thick fur collars about their necks. My children became prey for the mere whim of Man…"

Tears glimmered in the vixen's fur as she was seated again. The murmur in the room rose to an outraged growl of indignation. Kuzunoha-hime had to raise her paw and command silence again before the next speaker could begin.

One by one, the foxes had their say. Not all of them spoke, but all empathized with the tales that were told. Some had lost homes or had Man intrude upon their territory; some had seen their kinsman captured, slain, or torn apart by dogs. Whilst they spoke, Kuichi faithfully recorded their words on slips of rice paper, wielding the brush between the toes of his right forepaw as easily as human fingers would have done. As one tale followed another, the tension in the room rose, and the order with which proceedings had been hitherto carried out gradually ebbed away. Kuzunoha-hime listened silently to each fox's story, and though she appeared impassive, remaining composed throughout, her eyes narrowed further with each tale of woe that was told, and her gaze took on a trenchant edge.

At last all who wished to speak had spoken, and the room turned its expectant attention to Kuzunoha-hime, who, though she was the overseer of this gathering, had not yet spoken of her own experience.

At last, Kuzunoha-hime rose in place. Her face had taken on a sterner look than before, and a bitterness seemed to have crept into her voice, though it was still calm and even in tone. "I give my thanks to all who have spoken. You honour us by speaking of your personal pain in our company. On behalf of all here, I would like to offer my sympathy to our shared troubles, all of which have the actions of Man as the root of their cause."

She paused for a moment, during which the assembled horde waited with bated breath; then, seeming to have gathered her resolve, she began to relate her own tale.

"In my native forest, I was once set upon by dogs. Pursued and in a state of panic, I unknowingly fled towards the domain of Man. Desperately seeking refuge, I happened upon a garden behind a house, and here there stood a man. As soon as his eyes fell upon me, I gave up my life as lost, and silently prayed to the merciful goddess Inari, that she might bear my soul peacefully away to heaven. Yet, as the hunters closed in on me, this man suddenly gathered me to his person, shielding me from view. The hunters continued past us both, and my life was spared."

The foxes looked at each other nervously, questions in their eyes. This was not the story they had expected to hear.

Kuzunoha-hime continued. "I was as surprised then as many of you are now, to find these actions carried out by a human. Up until this time, Man was a creature I had distrusted and despised. And yet, this man had saved me; his actions were selfless, as he soon released me back into my forests, not trying to restrain me or seek to exchange my life for my pelt. He displayed no signs of self-interest; he seemed to act purely for my sake, though why he would do so was a complete mystery to me. I was intrigued, and wished to learn more about him – who he was, whether he was unique among his kind. I had masqueraded as a human woman before; though humans were distasteful to me, I was accustomed to wearing their guise. And so, I changed my appearance to that of a human, and I met this man who had saved me again, this time as a woman. I found my estimation of him to be true – he was a kind and genuine man, who never hurt creatures smaller than himself, and respected all living things. I was too intrigued by this man, this one glimmer of gold dust amongst so much river-sand, to leave him; and so, in order to continue to watch him, I became his wife. For three years, I lived in his house, slept by his side, and in time, we were blessed with a kit."

A silent shudder ran through the crowd. Such unnatural relationships between man and _kami_ were known to have taken place, yet none would have ever dared to suggest that it could happen to their own Kuzunoha-hime! Though no one dared protest the actions of their superior in spoken words, it was to them an atrocity beyond all comprehension! The assembled crowd sat transfixed, waiting upon her next words.

"At every moment, I feared that my husband would learn my secret, and at last, my fears came true. One night, my son knocked over a heavy vase of chrysanthemums, which broke with a loud crash and made him scream in fright. Overcome with fear for his safety, I rushed to his side, and my husband, who was walking in the gardens nearby, did likewise. Forgetting myself, I had taken hold of the hem of my robe as I rushed forward, and in that brief moment of distraction, my powers faltered; my husband and child caught sight of my tail and paws. I knew at once that my secret had been revealed. Seeing the stunned look of surprise and sadness on my husband's face, I reverted to my true form and fled."

Kuichi the scribe sat like one in a dream, a drop of ink sliding unbidden down the bristles of the brush to fall on the paper before him. The dark fox in front of him sat stock still, like a _kitsune_ statue before Inari's shrine.

"From that moment, I knew I could no longer live with my husband and child; yet I remained close, watching over them. I had to take care not to be seen, for soon after my departure, my true nature had become known to the township – the disappearance of the lady of the house could not pass unnoticed – and hunters once again roamed the forest. I knew that if they caught sight of me, my life would be forfeited. Eventually, my husband and child moved away to a different region; local talk informed me that they were travelling far to the south. I could not follow them, for this was my own territory, and that of my ancestors; I had a duty first and foremost to guard the sacred forests that I had been entrusted with. Still, I pined for my own kit. I lingered discreetly near the dwellings of Man, listening for news. And eventually, I overheard some talk among the humans; they said that at the request of my husband, who was a man of some standing, the Mikado had dispatched an _onmyoji_ to the forest, to slay the wicked _kitsune_ who had bewitched him. Thus, I discovered that my own husband had betrayed me – that even he was no different from the other humans in his hatred of my true form."

Kuzunoha-hime's voice increased in its vehemence, like a knot in a rope being pulled tighter and tighter.

"From that moment, I severed all ties of affections to any human, even my kit; and I swore vengeance upon the creatures who had done myself and so many of my brethren wrong. I desired more than anything to teach a lesson to these humans, these practitioners of cruelty and hypocrisy, who preach in their temples the love of all creatures the gods had created, yet wantonly take lives of beast as they wish, not to prolong their own well-being, but merely because they will it; they abuse their power, acting more callously than the gods themselves. And so, I swore to show them what prowess a _kami_, one truly favoured by the gods, can wield. I would show them that their arrows and dogs meant nothing before the powers bequeathed to us _kitsune_ by those very gods whom they themselves crawled and snivelled before.

"I went from place to place, wherever humans dwelt, creating havoc and mischief wherever I went. Travellers would see me on the road as a woman, only to have me turn into a fox and disappear amongst the trees. I conjured blue flames to burn in the darkness at night, chilling the hearts of men with cold fear. I made objects fly about the people's houses and disappear; I made wailing noises, like the callings of tortured souls, plague them in the night. I made them see illusions of things that were not really there, leading them to stumble into things and fall into ditches. Beyond a doubt, I proved that no mere _onmyoji_ could suppress me, no man was immune to my tricks, no mere hunters could seek my life. I let the reputation of the _kitsune_ spread throughout Izumi province, so that no man might rest easy; so that whenever he looked into the forest – my own domain – he might think of my abilities with fear, and feel his very soul quake before that which he knows he has no power over. This I have performed, for the sake of righting my own dishonour, and as an offering to all whom have been affected by Man's selfishness."

As her last word rang throughout the great domed room, silence fell, as every fox comprehended this amazing tale of retribution. Then there was a general hubbub of shifting straw and rustling clothes, as every fox shifted to his knees and bowed before Kuzunoha-hime to express his gratitude, for the vengeance she had extricated from the humans on behalf of all fox-kind.

Kuichi-san, who had been exuberantly writing each word of this remarkable speech with vigorous brush-strokes and had temporarily lost himself in his work, scrambled to follow suit, and in doing so knocked his brush from its stand; it bounced off the tabletop with an audible clatter and fell to the floor. Face flushing with shame at this terrible faux pas, he quickly bent to retrieve it.

Having knelt down just behind the dark-furred fox, he froze, and stared.

The fox was kneeling, the hem of his _hakama_ hiked up, and his paws were visible – or rather, where there should've been two paws, there were instead two pink, soft-soled, furless feet, each with five toes, and clad in straw sandals - _the feet of a Man. _At the same time, Kuichi realized that this dark-haired fox appeared to have no visible tail.

As though he somehow divined Kuichi's suspicions emanating from behind him, the dark-furred fox turned to face him.

His appearance had undergone some strange transformation. Instead of a fox's head, Kuichi saw a mask that merely imitated the face of a fox, like the ones the humans sometimes wore in their _kyogen_ plays; and, under this, a head of dark hair and a human-shaped ear were plainly visible.

The illusion upon Kuichi was broken; this _person_ was obviously not a fox at all, but rather, had been masquerading as one – _he was really a Man_!


End file.
